Chinese satellite spots possible missing jet debris

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PHOTO Courtesy: CNN

Chinese satellite has spotted a large object along a broad stretch of ocean where officials hope to find a Malaysia Airlines plane that has been missing for more than two weeks, Malaysia’s defense minister said Saturday.

Hishammuddin Hussein told reporters that he had been informed that a Chinese satellite had spotted an object 74 feet by 43 feet. He said, “The news that I just received is that the Chinese ambassador received a satellite image of a floating object in the southern corridor and they will be sending ships to verify.”

He said he had no other information and that China would release further details. It was not immediately clear whether the object was seen near where another satellite found two objects earlier this week. Meanwhile, NASA said Friday it is stepping up its support for a multinational search in the remote southern Indian Ocean for possible debris from Malaysia Airlines Flight 370. The agency joined the search last week, sending data to the U.S. Geological Survey’s Earth Resources Observations and Science Hazard Data Distribution System, which facilitates the sharing of information when the International Charter on Space and Major Disasters is activated.

The charter, which was activated by China on March 11, enlists space data from 15 member organizations to provide assistance in the case of a “natural or technological disaster,” CNET.com reported.